Whether it’s telling someone that their idea is bad or setting boundaries with coworkers, handling difficult conversations at work is a valuable skill. This quick guide will show the basics you need to know.
Don’t beat around the bush
When it comes to communicating a difficult message, most people tend to hem and haw. While this behavior is understandable, skirting the issue will only make the experience more excruciating. Be polite but firm and explain in clear terms what’s bothering you.
State your reason
You don’t want this to feel like a personal attack. The best way to show the other person that you are not acting out of spite or personal animosity is to share your reasoning with them. For example, if you want to reject an idea because you think it’s too complex, you may say: “This proposal may work for other projects, but the client asked us specifically for a simple solution.”
Serve a “truth sandwich”
In journalism, a “truth sandwich” is a communication model designed to fight disinformation. It consists of a piece of truthful information followed by a misconception and another truth. You can adapt this model to difficult communications by sandwiching the difficult piece of information between two encouraging statements. For example: “I know you are really dedicated, but I have noticed that you seem to be struggling with personal hygiene. How can we help you solve this?”
More Tips to Propel Your Career Forward
Read these previous posts for more tips that cover every aspect of the management of your organization, from communication to online security.
- How to deal with the wave of post-pandemic career changes
- What is timeboxing?
- How to stop procrastination
- How to improve your work-life balance
About the Greater Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
At the Greater Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GRHCC), our core mission is supporting small businesses and economic development with advocacy, business referrals, marketing opportunities, training programs, student internships, and scholarships.